


Midgar Burning

by mystiri1



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-08
Updated: 2011-01-08
Packaged: 2017-10-14 13:58:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/149915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mystiri1/pseuds/mystiri1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rufus watches his father's city burn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Midgar Burning

Once again, Midgar is burning.

Rufus watches it from the observation deck of the _Phoenix_ , the flagship of Neo-ShinRa's growing airship fleet, and thinks that he can smell the smoke despite the thick panes of glass in its way. The _Phoenix_ is virtually untouched by the battle that had taken place here, having hung back in the combat against Deepground. Not that he isn't willing to give the WRO his complete support in dealing with the fallout of yet another of his father's secret science projects, but it had been judged... 'diplomatic' that the ShinRa name, associated as it was with Deepground's inception, be less visible in its destruction. Rufus hadn't seen any need to argue the point with Reeve, as it was already agreed that the Turks would be going in to help take out the reactors Deepground had managed to bring back online.

Rufus is certain that was much more useful – especially to him – than giving his airship crew the opportunity to shoot things.

The city had been dying in pieces for years now. First there was the dropping of the Plate on Sector Seven, before Meteor. Then Diamond WEAPON and Meteor, leaving the Plate a ruin and ShinRa Tower a derelict wreckage. The Remnants, two years later, had left their own trail of destruction behind them. It was amazing to discover that so much of the underground structure had survived intact, hidden or not, but now the remains of the Tower and the surrounding complex is shrouded by a haze of smoke, this latest round of conflict taking its toll.

When his father ordered the Plate dropped on Sector Seven, Rufus had been furious, seeing part of the city that would one day be his destroyed by his father's orders. Only once he'd inherited the presidency, he'd looked out the windows of ShinRa Tower to realise Midgar would always be his father's city, that nothing he could do would ever change that. Now Midgar's death throes are finally drawing to a close, and Rufus watches it all with a strong sense of satisfaction.

He doesn't watch it alone, but he is certain that the man standing beside him feels quite differently on the matter. Reeve Tuesti, former Head of Urban Development, one of the engineers that made the Plate work, and now Commissioner of the World Regenesis Organisation. Reeve had helped design the Mako reactors that powered Midgar, had kept the city running through terrorist attacks and deliberate corporate sabotage. It was quite likely that, just as Rufus' father had once considered the city his, Reeve had felt the same way and for far more reason. For all its acknowledged flaws, Rufus is certain that Reeve is grieved by its loss.

But the other man says nothing, watching with the kind of blank, non-committal expression learned from years of corporate politics, and it is Rufus who eventually breaks the silence.

“I believe it would be prudent to make sure that there truly is nothing left, this time.”

A moment's silence, then Reeve speaks. “Yes.”

Rufus chooses to ignore that there is something slightly ragged about the word, because it would be uncomfortable for both of them to draw attention to it, and besides, he is getting what he wants here, and Reeve is not. “My Turks will set the charges, although I trust your engineers will assist in deciding placement.”

“The WRO -”

“- Cannot be certain that there are not other projects my father and his pet scientists had hidden away, or even that we have found the full extent of the Deepground Complex. It wouldn't do to have some other problem cropping up in another few years time just because we hesitated to do what is necessary now. While it is... tempting to try and salvage something from the labs, some things are probably better left buried.” The smooth words are scarcely something Reeve can disagree with, given that the WRO's greatest mandate is repairing and preventing the kind of damage done to the planet by ShinRa's previous technologies. Rufus almost feels sorry for him, but his own sense of satisfaction is greater. “As for handling it yourselves, I assure you I am quite sincere in my desire to do whatever it takes to undo the damage the ShinRa Corporation has done to the planet, and that includes cleaning up the messes it has left behind it. Besides,” he slants a humorous look in Reeve's direction, “Reno has been complaining that he doesn't get the chance to blow much up any more. You wouldn't deny him the opportunity to actually do so with permission, would you?”

A three-pronged attack: a reminder that the total destruction of Midgar is safer for all concerned; a reminder that Rufus' contrition and attempts at recompense is something Reeve is supposed to encourage; and even though it's Rude who will ultimately handle any explosions, Reno has a way of making himself liked even while thoroughly aggravating people, and Reeve is no exception to the redhead's unlikely charm. It works, as a reluctant smile tugs at Reeve's lips.

“We'll send in joint teams to handle the demolition,” Reeve agrees, and it's concession enough for Rufus. Reeve doesn't fully trust him, but that is to be expected. The WRO wants to make sure that Neo-ShinRa doesn't remove anything. Rufus wants to assure himself the same of the WRO, and also to ensure that this time the only thing left of Midgar – the Plate, the Tower, the labyrinthine underground complexes with their secret labs full of insane experiments – is rubble. Total destruction, and that is something he trusts his Turks will achieve.

They exchange more words, but the most important matter is already decided. Rufus waits until Reeve has left, returning to the _Shera_ , to let his satisfaction show. He looks out at the smoking remains of Midgar, and contemplates its impending annihilation.

His father's city, the so-called city of the future, is nothing more than a charred and shattered ruin, and once his Turks have done their part, it won't even be that.

Rufus looks out the windows of the _Phoenix_ and smiles.


End file.
